What not to do when hiring a van

Many people need to hire a van at some stage for whatever reason. It’s quite a common way of getting around and yet, not the easiest or most transparent process on the planet. There is so much that goes into hiring a van and if you are looking for van hire London, for example, there is so much that could go wrong. Fortunately for you, I have compiled a short list of a few things you should never do when you are hiring a van.

Do not ignore nearby fuel stations

When you are leaving the van hire company, it is common to ignore your surroundings and just focus on your next stop. This is a big mistake because you will need to stop at one of those stations to fill up your tank before you return the van. Returning a van with an empty or partially filled tank is likely to lead in you paying extra charges.

Do not drive away with a van before carefully inspecting it

Once, I made the mistake of driving out of a van hire near me without inspecting the vehicle and I was later forced to pay for damages I knew I had not caused. It’s not uncommon for a van hire to pin the blame on a customer even if they know that the van was damaged before they rented it out. In fact, many small companies do this as a way of sucking extra money from their customers. Take note of any bumps and scratches that are on the van before you drive away and if you must, keep photographic evidence just in case. While we are at it, if an agent is not present to inspect your van once you return it, then you should definitely keep photographic evidence just in case they try to scam you. Again, this happens way too often.

Do not leave the country with your hired van

When companies such as CitiRental Van Hire order their vans, they make a point of picking out top quality Nissan vehicles that are good for travelling long distances. As such, you might be tempted to embark on an out of the country trip with your van. Unless you have a specific agreement with the van hire company then I would strongly advise that you stay within the expected boundaries and avoid making spontaneous trips, especially across the border. Should anything happen to the van while you are in another country, chances are that the van hire company will not cover it and your insurance might also not cover international liability. The extra costs now fall solely on you and there is a likelihood that you damage fees will be more than double the original cost.

Hiring a van can be tricky and it is understandable to be anxious but, as long as you have done proper research and are aware of what not to do, you should be just fine.